prompt: Effie comes back to visit Haymitch and she keeps pestering him to go on a picnic near the lake. Once they're there, an accident happens, causing person A to drown and person B must save them. Comme c'est romantique! Aha

Take A Swim

"Come on, Haymitch" Effie whined, kneeling next to him on the blanket. "It's such a beautiful day it would be a shame not to make the most of it."

Haymitch watched her pout, not the least moved by it. The whining and the pouting had succeeded in dragging him out of his house and to the lake where she was so adamant they needed to go on a picnic but he would draw the line there.

"I'm not the swimming type." he replied, leaning back on his elbow to bring the bottle of wine to his mouth with his free hand.

"Don't you know how to?" she frowned but she found a quick solution to that problem. "I can teach you."

"I know how to swim, sweetheart." He rolled his eyes. "I just don't like to. Go. I'm happy to watch."

Effie's blue eyes darted around them quickly, checking their surroundings, but they were quite alone on the lake bank. Her grin was challenging when she pulled her blouse over her head, revealing a lacy red bra that would hide nothing once wet.

"Are you sure you don't want to join me?" she teased.

He smirked, letting his fingers run over her ribcage, relishing in the goosebump that appeared on the wake of his touch. "I'm sure."

"Your loss." she chuckled, standing up to let her skirt drop at her feet in a heap of fabric. She sauntered away, making sure to sway her hips more than strictly necessary. She didn't need to, the sight was already endearing.

She laughed when she entered the water in one go. He watched her slim body disappear under the water as she dove once and then reappear only to shake her blond curls out of her eyes. He couldn't help but smile at seeing her so carefree. It was a rare sight nowadays but there were very good days, like today, and he was happy he had relented to her numerous requests for a picnic.

"It's cold!" she called out.

"Told you." he shrugged.

It didn't stop her from splashing around for several minutes. He didn't take his eyes away from her once, committing to memory the way her hair shined under the sun, her elegant moves in the water, the way her underwear clung to her skin…

She dove another time and he waited for her to reappear only to flick her hair back again.

Except she didn't.

He sat up, mentally counting the seconds, but still no blond hair tore the dark surface of the lake. His heart missed a beat.

"Effie!" he shouted, scrambling on his feet. He dropped the bottle of wine and kicked off his shoes. "Effie!"

He was paddling in the water before he realized it, his mind already conjuring a thousand horrifying scenarios.

"Effie!" he yelled, trying to spy her shape under the water.

He was in to his shoulder when she finally reappeared right in front of him, laughing and panting in turns. She threw her arms around his neck.

"See? I knew I could get you to come swimming." she triumphed.

He pushed her away, his heart still racing.

"That's not funny." he snapped. "I thought you were dead."

Her face morphed from amused to grim in a fraction of second.

"I apologize." she whispered, reaching for his cheek. "It was poor taste on my part. I am sorry."

He let her frame his face in her hands and kissed him because, truthfully, he was simply happy to feel her against him : alive and warm.

"Don't ever do that again." he grumbled.

"No." she promised, guiding his hands to her waist. "I am sorry." Her smile was tentative. "You're overdressed."

"Whose fault is that?" he muttered. He didn't protest when she started unbuttoning his shirt, pressing a kiss against his skin for each button she undid, even when it required for her to dive underwater. "How come you're so good at holding your breath, Princess?"

"Practice." Her grin was devilish and was asking to be kissed away immediately so that was what Haymitch did.

"It's cold." he complained. He had never been crazy about swimming.

"I will warm you up." she offered, catching his earlobe between her teeth, obviously determined to have her way with him right there in the lake.

Haymitch sighed but he didn't stop her.

She was always whining about him not acting like a gentleman…

Gentlemen never said no to a lady, did they?